Some Name Things
by FandomsForeva
Summary: Harry and Ginny had some trouble figuring out what to name their children. Written with darkflowerprincess.


_Sunday morning, April 2004_

"So we're naming the baby Lily if it's a girl, but what if it's a boy?" Ginny clarified, letting out the question that both she and her husband had been considering.

"James," Harry said. "I mean, if that's alright with you. I mean, I guess it's unfair that I'm only considering names from my family, but still...I guess I just want to honor my parents."

"Harry, as adorable as that is, I don't think it's healthy to keep suggesting names of dead people as the names of our children. This of the weight they'd always be carrying around on their shoulders!" Ginny slid off the bar stool and grabbed a slightly burned pancake, "What if we named them something new, like Jane, or Robert? Something with a significance we like. Ailia means light, if you like that."

"But–but–their legacy needs to live on!" Harry protested, ignoring the pancakes on the griddle and to turning to face Ginny.

"Oh, for Christ's sake," Ginny muttered. In a slightly louder tone, she said, "Don't you want our children to be able to lives without people constantly comparing them to their namesakes? Harry, watch that pancake!"

Harry used a spatula to take the offending pancake off the griddle, making a disgusted face at the smell. "It's not about comparing them to the people they're named after! It's about remembering the past! Remembering my parents, who died for me!"

 _Playing the 'dead parents' card,_ Ginny thought, feeling slightly ashamed that she had allowed the idea to pass through her mind. She knew that it meant a lot to Harry. She wanted him to be happy, even if it meant giving in on the name of her first child (and possibly her second).

"Fine. Lily for a girl, James for a boy," Ginny conceded.

Harry dropped the spatula, slid over to Ginny, and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Gin. You can't possibly know how much this means to me."

The nickname "Gin" made Ginny think about the drink that she would most certainly be consuming as soon as the baby was out of her.

"Let's have pancakes," Ginny said. "I'll take one of the, er, non-burned ones, if you don't mind."

"Of course," her husband replied, looking more than a bit sheepish.

 _Friday evening, May 2006_

"Mama, look!" James screeched. "Mama, look!"

Ginny tried to avoid feeling annoyed at her first son. She was feeling awful today. Her nose was completely congested, she had barely eaten anything all day, she really needed to shower, and being 8 months pregnant was not helping the matter.

"It's wonderful, James," said Harry, picking up their two-year-old son. "A really beautiful, um, dragon."

"Dwagon," James nodded an affirmative and turned to face Harry, "Play!"

"I'm afraid that it's time for bed," Harry told his son.

"PLAY!"

"Sorry, honey. It's time for all big boys to go to sleep," Harry reasserted.

"MAMA!" James shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Mama is going to go to sleep too," Harry told James.

James reconsidered his stance. If Mama was going to bed, then maybe he should go to bed? No, he wanted to play.

"NOOOOO! NONONO!" James began throwing a fit. Harry carried him off to bed. Ginny sat down in one of the cushy chairs in the living room, heaving a sigh. After a little while, the shrieks of her angry son quieted, and Harry returned.

"Gin, how are you doing?"

"Fine," Ginny said. She twisted her wand around in her hands.

"I hate to say it, but I think that we need to start talking about names again."

"Oh Merlin," muttered Ginny. Harry had brought this up three months ago, insisting that they should incorporate Dumbledore and Snape's first names into their child's name.

"I'm thinking Lily for a girl, and–"

"Why Lily? Why not Sophia? That means wisdom. Or even Joy? That's a nice name, very, er, happy."

Harry looked startled, "But I thought we were …" he trailed off.

"Harry, we've been over this."

"Ginny, Lily Evans is the woman that gave up her life for me. If we have a daughter, I need to know that I honored my mother's memory by carrying on her name."

"Fine! What about for a boy?"

"Albus Severus," Harry said.

 _He can't possibly be serious,_ thought Ginny. She then started laughing. "Alright, good one. Let's get serious now. I think–"

"What, you think that was a joke?" asked Harry incredulously. "I happen to think that it's a nice name!"

"Fine, let's put aside the fact that it's the name of two more dead blokes. I won't deny that as far as the dead namesake thing goes, I like Dumbledore's name. But _Severus?_ Really? Why that?"

"He was a brave man! He spied on Voldemort for years, and ended up saving my life more than once!" Harry insisted.

"He also abused you nonstop for years! Is that the man you want to name your son after?"

"He was brave!"

"He's the guy that had the hots for your mother!"

There was a ringing silence.

"Well, what would you suggest?" Harry snapped.

"If you insist on having the name of someone who has passed on, then what about Remus, may he rest in peace? Not to mention that I think that Felix is nice, it sounds very upbeat. Or maybe Sebastian! That name screams _loads_ about survival and loyalty!"

"Where is Sebastian even from?"

"For your information, it's from Twelfth Night! It's a play by a man named Shakespeare. I honestly thought that you would know, being raised in the Muggle world!"

"MAMA!"

Ginny and Harry froze. Without really realizing it, they had escalated to a full shouting match. Harry rushed over to James's bedroom and hushing sounds could be heard until Harry returned and James was quiet.

Harry cleared his throat, "So … Albus Severus Potter?"

 _Tuesday morning, August 2008_

"Lily for a girl, then."

They had had this argument twice before, so it was almost funny. The conversation was familiar, it was annoying, it was close to Ginny's heart.

"Alexia means defender of mankind in Greek," Ginny pointed out.

"Lily was my mother," Harry replied. "I wouldn't feel right naming our sons after others and then not naming our daughter after her."

"But still…" Ginny trailed off.

Harry let out a small laugh. "Oh, Gin. I'm annoying you, aren't I? I'm sorry. I just...feel rather strongly about this. You understand, don't you?"

Of course she did. "Yes, Harry," said Ginny. "But I just–oh, I don't know. I want something new. Something that has a true significance to us."

"Lily is significant to me," Harry said, adamant.

"But only because she was your mother! Not because it's a name that we handpicked for its meaning and how it sounds!"

"Are you saying that mothers don't have a significance?" Harry queried, giving her a sideways glance. "Percy named his daughter after your mother."

"No! I - no!" Ginny put a hand over her eyes, "I just -" she sighed and sat down on a bar stool. "Look, your parents were named James and Lily, right? It's weird to have kids named James and Lily." It was a weak argument, and Ginny knew it.

"I'm confused," said Harry. "I just-"

Ginny could see where this was going. They would end up arguing and get nothing done, and Harry would end up winning by default. "Let's ask the boys," Ginny said. "Maybe they have a preference? I'm a fan of Rosie, personally."

"No, that's the name of Ron and Hermione's kid, remember?" Harry absentmindedly tugged at a strand of hair.

"Of course I remember!" Ginny snapped waspishly. Did Harry really think she didn't remember her own niece's name? "What about another flower name? Daphne. Um, Cynthia. I think that's a flower."

"If you want a flower name, then why not Lily?" Harry pressed.

Ginny ignored him. "Boys! We have a question to ask you!"

James flew in on his toy broomstick, Al toddling in after him. Ginny's heart swelled with love as she looked at him, and she reminded herself that no matter how annoying the name arguments were, they didn't matter, because she had a wonderful family and would soon have her wonderful third child-her first daughter.

"Which name do you like better, Lily or Daphne?" Ginny asked.

"Leedaboo!" Al babbled.

Harry nodded. "An excellent name."

"Harry!" Ginny elbowed her husband.

"Just joking, Gin."

James wrinkled his nose. "Not Daphne."

Harry looked triumphant. "So, Lily!"

"No, no … I, err, how about, um," Ginny mentally flipped through her book of baby names, "How about Camilla?" She proffered.

Now it was Albus's turn to wrinkle his nose and hit Ginny's thigh with his toy horse.

"Magnolia?" She offered weakly.

Harry smiled. "I think Lily is better than Magnolia."

Ginny shook her head, "Hyacinth?"

Harry shook his head, "Sounds like a disease."

Ginny smiled, sighing. Well, how bad could Lily be?

 _November 3, 2003_

James had just been born. As his birthday was also Sirius's birthday, his middle name was Sirius.

"Why James?" Aunt Muriel snarled. "Why name him after your husband's father, Ginevra? What about your uncles, Fabian and Gideon? They're dead! They were fighters! What more could you possibly want?"

 _June 6, 2006_

Albus Severus had come into the world without too much trouble. Now it was just the backlash over his name that they had to deal with.

A tearful Hermione hugged Ginny. Her daughter Rose had been born several months earlier. "Oh, Ginny, I'm so happy for you. But Severus?"

Teddy, who was almost 10, looked annoyed. "But didn't Headmaster Dumbledore try to get Uncle Harry killed by Voldemort?"

 _You_ could _look at it that way,_ Ginny thought. But out loud, her only words were "It was Harry and my choice! None of yours! Keep your blasted opinions to yourselves!"

 _January 2, 2008_

"Lily Luna! What a lovely name, dear!" Mrs. Weasley gushed to her youngest child. "I couldn't have thought up a better name myself."

Mr. Weasley, too, was ecstatic. "A lovely name. How are you doing, Ginny!"

Luna was there as well. "The Nargles are kind to those named after the dead. The memories act as a shield from evil spirits.

Auntie Muriel had passed away, but Mrs. Weasley assured Ginny that Muriel had always loved the name Lily.

Ginny's only thoughts: _Really? That's it?_


End file.
